‘Riverdale’ mid-season premiere review: It’s time for the Gargoyle King to be slayed

Riverdale is back with a vengeance in the mid-season premiere, and we mean that literally!

It seems like everyone in Riverdale had a score to settle in the first episode back from the hiatus. Some characters managed to make some positive strides, but for others, things look more hopeless than ever. Here’s my review of the Riverdale mid-season premiere.

’Riverdale’ season 3 mid-season premiere review

Let’s start with the good stuff. Remember that big quarantine cliffhanger from the mid-season finale? Well, the quarantine is over! That was quick. So, what was the point? Well, from what I can tell, the quarantine achieved a few things. While none of them are going to make things any easier for our heroes, some of them are amazing for the Riverdale audience.

First of all, the crime rate is up, but that’s mostly the fault of our beloved Choni. The couple is taking date night to a new level by performing the hottest cat burglaries ever, and they’re only falling deeper in love while doing it.

I love that these two are finally getting their moment and are actually taking a small stand against Hiram Lodge while doing it, but it also feels wrong for Toni to be out of the Serpents. I hope they can figure something out to get back on the gang’s good side, and maybe find a more sustainable, and ideally legal, bonding activity.

Cheryl and Toni weren’t the only Serpents getting more screen time than usual in the Riverdale mid-season premiere. The Serpents are feeling the squeeze of Hiram’s rural domination, so they need the Jones’s leadership more than ever. Luckily, Jughead has officially teamed up with one of Hiram’s other biggest targets.

As ridiculous as it is that Jughead and Veronica are essentially running the town right now, I’m so here for it. One of the other side effects of the quarantine is that La Bonne Nuit is thriving, so Veronica’s in a more powerful position than ever before. I love that the Serpents are joining forces with her to protect her business and the safe haven that she’s offering her friends and neighbors.

Something ridiculous that I’m so not here for, is how Hiram is having his daughter’s business attacked because she won’t pay him enough money for protection. Umm…what?!? How did this man gain any level of success when he’s so legitimately insane. He’s exploiting his own daughter and having kids attacked. How is he still roaming the streets with normal people?

The frustrating thing is that we still don’t even know why he’s doing all of this. His drugs are running rampant and the town has essentially entered a police state, but is that really his end game? There has to be something more behind this, or it just doesn’t make any sense. I hope he gets justice for his crimes, but I also hope that his motives add up, in the end. Otherwise this whole season will just be kind of foolish.

Luckily, as is always the case, Hiram’s prohibition is breeding promiscuity and Reggie and Veronica had a “bonne nuit” indeed. I really like how they’ve developed this relationship. Reggie has been there for Veronica throughout all of the drama of this season, and he’s become someone who she can really trust, which she desperately needs. As a fan of the comics, I’m so glad this dynamic is finally being explored. Especially with what’s going on with Archie…

Only Riverdale’s Archie Andrews could go on a bear-attack-induced sweat lodge spirit quest and learn absolutely nothing. Archie’s self-discovery was such a cool part of the Riverdale mid-season premiere, but it kind of seems like it amounted to nothing. Archie is still being annoyingly self-involved and blaming himself for everything. Whenever he rises from the dead (because duh), he’s probably going to be even more insufferable. Ugh.

Archie wasn’t the only character who “died” in the Riverdale mid-season premiere, and I don’t think the twisted Sisters are protected by the same protagonist armor. That means that Hiram just took out a whole fleet of elderly women. This guy is so nuts.

Just as Betty proved that she’s the world’s most amazing woman yet again by finding homes for all the escaped patients, Edgar stepped in and took them to the Farm. Hopefully Alice and Polly aren’t delusional and the Farm actually helps them, but let’s be honest, that’s definitely not going to happen.

It feels like the Gargoyle King story line is reaching its climax and will be coming to an end soon, which I’m happy about. Hiram’s empire has grown to maximum capacity, and everyone’s in place to unravel his scheme and bring the King down. As much as I’ve loved the Griffins & Gargoyles story, I’m excited for the focus to shift to the Farm for the rest of the season, and to see where it takes the characters of Riverdale.

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